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Images of Our People

Gallery Two - Photo Analysis One

Roping, Winnemucca High School Rodeo Roping, Winnemucca
High School Rodeo

OBJECTIVE OBSERVATION (What do I see in the photograph?)
I see four men in this photo. Three of the men are on horses. One of the men is standing on the ground. One man on a horse has a rope in his hands and is not wearing a hat. He is riding towards the calf which is running ahead in the same direction. Another man on horseback is wearing a hat and holding a red flag in his right hand at shoulder height. The third man on horseback is wearing a black hat and also has a rope in his hands. His horse also is running in the same direction as the calf. All of these men and the calf are in a fenced area. There is a white wooden fence and a green metal gate visible in this photo. Behind the fence are more horses, two trailers, and a vehicle. A pole of some type is visible beyond the white fence, near the trailers and vehicle. Beyond the fence is a field of yellow grass and moutains in the distance.

SUBJECTIVE OBSERVATION (How do I interpret the photograph?)
The calf has just been released from the green-gated area. The calf is running into the fenced pen to escape the hatless cowboy who is chasing it in an attempt to rope it. The horseman holding the red flag is looking for some type of foul by the roper or he could be looking for the roper to catch the calf. He will raise the flag to signify either one of my suggestions. The second hoseman with a rope in his hands is trying to keep the calf in the center of the pen. The fellow standing on the ground is a coach of the roper. The roper is practicing before he participates in a competitive rodeo. The horses beyond the fence will be used to rope the calves. I would estimate that this event is occuring at mid-day based on the shadows underneath the calf and horses.

MY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS PHOTOGRAPH

  1. Did the roper catch the calf?
  2. Is this his first attempt or has he attempted previously to rope this calf?
  3. When and why did the flagman give a signal?
  4. Did the second, hatted roper interfere with the the hatless roper?
  5. What is the standing fellow looking for and what is he thinking?
  6. Do the horses and trailers beyond the white fence belong to these cowboys?
  7. Where is this event occuring?
  8. Is the dirt in the pen muddy and soft?
  9. What would it feel like to be on a horse chasing a calf to rope it?
  10. How did rodeo begin and how long has rodeo existed?
  11. Is rodeo still a part of the American West today?
  12. What other competitive events are held in a rodeo and how did they become to be included in rodeo?
  13. In which states are rodeos held?

TOPICS FOR RESEARCH AND LEARNING

These topics can help you search within American Memory. To find related photographs, do a search of the collection from which this photograph came by clicking on the image; or search all collections by typing in keywords and then clicking search.

  1. history of rodeo
  2. rodeo today
  3. rodeo events
  4. high school, college, and professional rodeo
  5. Nevada rodeo
  6. western rodeo
  7. scoring rodeo events
  8. cattle wrestling
  9. cowboys
  10. cowboy skills

Gallery Two:   1 | 2 | 3 | 4

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Last updated 09/26/2002